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(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 1. J. C. WILSON.

MUNICIPAL TELEGRAPH APPARATUS.

No. 331,356. Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

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(No Model.) .i 8 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. C. WILSON.

MUNICIPAL TELBGRAPH APPARATUS.

N0.`331,3561. Patented Dec. l, 1885..

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J. C. WILSON.

MUNICIPAL TELBGRAPH APPARATUS.

No. 331,356. Patented Dec. l, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CORNELIUS WILSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MUNICIPAL SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PORTSMOUTH, N H.

MUNICIPAL-TELEGRAPH APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,356, dated December 1, 1885.

Application died April 28, 1884. Serial No. 129,500. (No model.)

To all whom z5 may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. WrLsoN, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Municipal-Telegraph Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to a telegraph apparatus especially intended for use in cities in connection with the policeservice, the invention being shown embodied in a signal-box intended to be connected in an electric circuit with the police station-houses. The signalbox is intended to be accessible to all citizens, for the purpose of enabling them to summon police aid at the sub-station or locality where the box is situated, each box being adapted Vto transmit a distinct signal, preferably representing a number that identiii es the box and its locality,like the well-known signal-boxes used in tirealarmtelegraph systems. In addition to the signal that is accessible to all persons, there is also a series of special signals, accessible only to authorized persons who have keys giv- Y ingr access to the part of the box containing the devices for transmitting such signals.

The invention consists partly in a box containing signal-transmitting mechanism having two independent operating devices, one for sending a signal, herein called the main 7 or box7 signal, and the other for sending the said main signal, in connection with any desired one of a series of special signals, combined with a local audible signal or alarm, and mechanism whereby it is set in operation when the box or main signal is sent. As herein shown, the box has adoor,which, for the sake of distinction, may be called the citizens door, affording access to the device for transmitting the box-signal, the said door being provided with a latch, and means to produce a local alarm,when the said latch is operated to permit the door to be opened, on the signalsseat. By this means a loud alarm is sounded whenever the box is operated by a citizen, thereby attracting the attention of all persons in the neighborhood, and thus deterring persons The invention also consists in the combination, with the box containing the citizens door and multiple-signaling devices before mentioned, of a door, called, for the sake of distinction, the policemans door, provided with a suitable lock for affording access to the said multiple-signaling devices.

Figure l is a front elevation of a signa1-box embodying this invention, the policemans door at the front of the box being opened and a portion of the dial that indicates the special signals being broken away to show the interior mechanism of the box; Fig. 2,a partial section of the box, showing the internal mechanism in end elevation; Fig. 3, an end eievation of the box, showing the citizens door open; Fig. 4, a plan view of the multiple-signaling mech anism; Fig. 5, a view of the saine parts, as seen looking upward from beneath; Fig. 6, details of a portion of the signaling-surfaces, and Fig. 7 a diagram illustrating the circuits.

The box A, of suitable size to contain the working parts, is provided with two doors, B C, affording access to different parts of the interior mechanism,the former, called for distinction the policemans door,77 affording access to the entire interior of the box, and being provided with a lock, D, that can only be unlocked by a special key, with which policemen or other authorized persons will be provided. The door C, herein called the citi zens door, will be provided with a latch, c, operated by a handle, E, accessible at the outside of the box, the said handle in turning being adapted to operate an alarm at the box. The mechanism of the said door may be of any well-known kind-such, for instance, as shown in Letters Patent No. 164,406, dated June l5, 1875, it not being herein speciiically shown and described, as the particular mechanism to operate the latch and local alarm forms no part of my invention.

The signal-transmitting mechanism Vin the box consists, essentially, of a train of wheelwork, a a', of usual construction, one of the arbors of which carries a series of wheels or disks, b b', the peripheries of which are notched fire-alarm telegraphs,while the wheels bhave their peripheries notched to produce special signals, which lmay consist of long and short changes-such as used in the Morse alphabetthey preferably producing signals that con-` tain dashes, so that they may be readily distinguished from the numbersignals, which consist wholly of dots. The actuating weight or spring for the said train is wound by means ofa crank or finger-piece, d, accessible through the side of the box when the citizens door O is open, as shown inl Fig. 3, so that a citizen havingk opened the said door may wind the saidact'uating weight or spring and set the clock-work in motion to transmit the numbersignal of the box from the break-wheel Z1, the other wheels, b', then being out of circuit, as will be hereinafter explained. The said train of wheel-work may also be wound or operated by a finger-piece, e, connected with the same shaft as the crank d, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the said finger-piece e being accessible only when the policemans door B at the front of the box is open.

The springs c', cooperating with the wheels b', are each connected, as best shown in Fig. 7,with one ofa series of springs, f, resting on the surface of a circuit-selecting device, g, (shown as a dru1n,)tlie arbor or shaft g' of which is provided with a pointer, 02,(see Figs. 1 and 2,) by which the said drum may be rotated, the said pointer moving over the face ofthe dial F, Fig.' 1, upon which are marked or indicated the special signals that are to be transmitted by the wheels b'. The said shaft g' is provided with a toothed stop-wheel, g3,

which is caused, by a co-operating yieldingv stop, g4, to hold the drum and pointer in any position to which it may be turned, the said pointer being then opposite one of the signals on the dial. The drum g is provided with a conducting-ring, h, normally in co1itact,when the door B is open,with a spring, t', connected with the main line or circuit entering or leaving the box, and the said ring 7L is connected with a series of contact-pieces, h', arranged around the periphery of the drum, as shown in Fig. 7, where the surface of the drum is represented as developed or laid out flat. Each of the said contact-pieces h is in the path traversed by a corresponding one of the springs f, connected with the springs c', and each one of the said contact-pieces is brought into contact with one of the springs f when the drum is turned by the pointer g2 to one particular position corresponding to one of the signals 0n the dial.

The circuit and operation ofthe breakwheels is shown inthe diagram, Fig. 7. Themain line L, entering the box at one side, is electrically connected with the entire series of wheels b b', and-the spring c, co-operating with the Wheel b, is connected by wire 2 with the line L', leaving theboX'at-thejother side. TheA spring t', co-operating with the ring h, is connected by Wire 3 with the line L', while the springs c' are connected by wires 4 with the springs f, resting on 'the 'drum' g. When, by moving the drum g, any desired one of the contact-points h' is brought into connection with the corresponding'spring, c', the circuit will be completed' through the wheel b, spring c, and wire 2 to the line L', and also through that one of the wheels b which was selected by the movement of the drum g, and through the correspondingy spring, c', wire 4, spring f, contactp oint It', ring h, springt', and wire 3 to the line L'.

The break-wheel b has a portionof its periphery removed, as sliown in Fig. 6, thus leaving the circuitopen between it and the spring c during a considerable portion of its revolution, and the projections or raised portions of the wheels b are arranged to co-operate with their springs c' during this portion of the rotation of the wheels b b.

In orderito prevent the wheels b' from operating-when thedoor B is closed and the crank or winding-piece d operated by the citizens, the pointer and drum maybe mechanically turned to a particular point upon the closing of the door bya cam, 7c, and proj ection m', as shown in Letters Patent No. 288,536, November 13, 1883, thus causing the same signal to be always given when the door B is closed.

As shown, in this instance the wheels b arealso wholly removed vfrom the circuit when the door B is closed, thesaid door being provided with a circuit-controlling device, consisting in this instance of a projection, p, which will raise the spring t' from contact with the ring 7L, thus leaving the wheel b alone in circuit when the door B is closed. Thus when the policemans door B of the box is closed the citizen can send only the main or box number signal, which is understood as a call for police aid of some nature, and when the door B is first opened the pointer will stand at a denite point, preferably corresponding to the patrol-signal, so that the policeman may transmit a signal merely for indicating his presence at the box without disturbing the pointer, which only need be moved when some special signal is to be sent.

lt will be understood that the number-signal isalways sent in connection with the special signals. When, as is usually the case, the signals are received on a register that prints when the circuit is open, the citizens signal will consist of a long` dash, together with the series of dots representing the box-numbers. The boX A also contains a transmitting-telephone, T, of any usual construction, the said telephone being preferably placed with its IOO IIO

mouth-piece at the rear of an elastic or flexible sounddeadening diaphragm, M, preferably composed of a thick piece of combined rubber and fabric, against which the person talking may press his face, the said diaphragm surrounding his mouth and concealing its movements, and also effectually cutting off the sound from the outside of the box, so that he can talk without being heard or understood by people in the neighborhood.

rlhe diaphragm has an opening at its middle of about the same size as the mouth-piece of the telephone, so that it does not interfere with the access of sound to the said telephone. A receiving-telephone, T, is also provided, and the said telephone may be connected in the same circuit as the transmitting mechanism of the box, or may be in an independent circuit used only for telephone communication.

The transmitting-telephone may be either a magneto-telephone or the usual microphone or battery transmitter, in which ease the battery-cell t will also be inclosed in the box A, which will preferably be lined with felt or other non-conducting material. This non-conducting lining H will serve both as a non-conductor of heat, preventing the battery from freezing, andfalso as a non-conductor of sound, affording a further protection against the danger of bystanders overhearing the conversation carried on through the telephone.

I claiml. A signal-box containing a signaling device for transmitting a box-signal characterizing the box or station, and a multiple-signal apparatus for transmitting any desired one of a number of special signals, combined with a citizens door provided with a latch and local alarm mechanism operated from the outside of the box, the said door afording access to the box-signal only, substantially as described.

2. A signal-box containing a clock-work or motor having two independent starting devices accessible from different parts ofthe box, combined with independent doors, one affording access to each of the said starting devices, one of the said doors requiring the co-operation of a key or equivalent to effect its opening, and the other door being provided with a latch and alarm mechanism and knob or handle for operating the same, substantially as described.

3. In a signaltransmitter, a clock-Work or motor and series of break-Wheels rotated thereby, combined with a series of co-operating contactsprings and a circuit-selecting device, the said Wheels being all connected with the mainline circuit at one side of the box and one of the said springs and the circuit-selecting device being connected with the main line at the other side of the box, one of the said breakwheels being always in circuit, and any desired one of the others being placed in circuit by the selecting device, substantially as described.

4. A clockwork or motor and seriesof breakwheels or contact-surfaces adapted to be moved simultaneously by the said motor and a series of co-operatin g contact-springs, combined with a circuit-selecting device for a portion of the said springs and wheels, and a circuit-controlling device which when operated removes the springs and wheels affected by the said circuit-selecting device from the circuit substantially as described.

5. A signal-transmitting apparatus comprising a series ofsignaling devices, each consisting of a notched or irregular surface and co-operating contact-piece, and a motor for moving the one relatively to the other, one of the said contact-surfaces and springs being always in circuit for producing an unchangeable main signal, combined with a selecting device, by which any desired one of the remaining devices may be placed in condition for-producing a variable or special signal, and a circuit-controlling device for the latter, or special signaling devices by which the entire series may be removed from circuit, placing the apparatus in condition to transmit the main or unchangeable signal only, substantially as described.

6. A seriesof simultaneously-moving breakwheels and co-operating contact-springs, combined with a circuit-selecting drum, a pointer connected therewith, and a dial co-operating with the said pointer having a series of signals corresponding with those produced by the different break-wheels, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CORNELIUS XVILSON.

Witnesses: y

J os. P. LivERMoRE, W. H. SIGsroN.

IOO 

